Cartridge



Patented Sept. 18, 1951 CARTRIDGE Robert Edward McGahey, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.,

assignor of one-half to Gene C. Holmes, Verne, L. Holmes, and Millan H. Holmes, jointly Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,760

2 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly t cartridges adapted for repeated reuse.

The firing of a standard cartridge and the discharge of the projectile leaves a case which can, if properly cleaned, be reloaded to form a new cartridge having the desirable characteristics of the original cartridge. The practice of reusing cartridge cases is an old one but has heretofore been characterized by certain objectionable weaknesses resulting from the fact that the cartridge case was not initially designed for such reuse. In the usual standard cartridge the explo-sion burns not only the walls of the enclosing case but also passes through the flash hole and into the primer pocket. Repeated reloadings of the standard cartridge case develop a defective seating of the primer in its pocket because of this burning and produce a dangerous structure in which the burning gases ash outwardly past the replacement primer to do serious damage to the user.

In the cartridge constructed in accordance with the present invention, the cartridge case itself has been especially designed with a view -to its reuse and, by the provision of inexpensive means, provides a construction having superior fire characteristics 4as well as superior reloading capabilities.

In the reloading of the standard cartridge 1t is the practice to clean the reused primer pocket and flash hole thoroughly and then insert a new primer cap in the pocket; thereafter, to pour in the required amount of powder; press home the projectile; and crimp the end of the case into a peripheral groove or channel present in the projectile. This standard method required the careful cleaning of the primer pocket as Well as the careful replacement and seating of the new primer.

In the cartridge constructed in accord-ance with the present invention, use is made of a frontal primer which is positioned within the cartridge case and the usual primer pocket serves as a seat for the head of a ring pin which extends forwardly in the case into primer-contacting position. A firing pin is a permanent part of the cartridge case, and except in extraoridnary circumstances, will not require replacement. There is no need to clean the primer pocket or ila-sh hole in the cartridge constructed in accordance with the present invention, the replacement of the charge, the primer and the projectile comprising the entire reloading operation.

Through the use of frontal ignition in the present invention more effective combustion of the powder is obtained. The forward portion of the powder charge is ignited rst, the explosion progressing rearwardly to the base of the case. This insures complete ignition and without the loss of unburned powder which, in the standard cartridge with rear ignition, is frequently blown from the muzzle of the weapon with the projectile.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cartridge the case of which is particularly suited for repeated reuse.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cartridge in which the projectile-propelling explosion takes place entirely within the case and in which no leakage takes place through the base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cartridge provided with a firing pin arranged 4to contact a frontal primer.

These and other more specific objects Will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims and a consideration thereof in connection with the attached drawings to which they refer.

In the drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated:

f Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the rst preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 through a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure l through a third preferred form of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 1 through a fourth preferred form of the invention.

Referring again to the drawings, and in particular to Figurel which discloses the iirst preferred embodiment thereof, it is seen that the cartridge constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a cylindricalcase I I in the thickened rimmed base I2 of which 1s formed a centrally located recess I3 which, in the standard cartridge, would comprise the primer pocket. An inwardly or forwardly projecting integral tapered tube I4 extends from base I2 and connects the interior of the case 'with the interior of the recess I3. An internal shelf or flange I6 is formed in the case forwardly of the tube I4, as by collapsing the cylindrical wall of the case for a portion of its length, and serves as an abutment for the primer, as will be described.

A frontal primer II is positioned within the case II and rests against the abutment shelf or flange I6. Primer I'I comprises spaced paper discs between which is positioned an igniting charge, with the whole preferably being protected by a preserving coating. Forwardly of the primer 'I1 is the projectile I8 which extends from the casing, being retained therein by the outer end of the latter being swedged inwardly at I9 into the peripheral groove '2I formed upon 'the projectile.

A lube band 22, including grease, is recessed into the periphery of the projectile I8 within the case in the preferred-embodiment.

rflhe powder charge is indicated by the reference character 23 and is seen to be positioned between the base I2 of the casing and the primer I'I. The latter is held against the shelf I6 by the abutting contact of the end of projectile I8 which functions as an anvil therefor. To provide the necessary blow to ignite the primer a pin 24 is slidably mounted within tube Ill with its enlarged cylindrical head 26 slidingly positioned within the recess I3.A The headv 26 is adapted to receive a moving force, as from the firing pin of a standard weapon, which would function to move the pin forwardlyto strike the primer and compress it against the projectile I8, the resulting explosion ignitng the powder charge 23 and the expulsion of the projectile from the case.'

There are only two possible escapes for the gases generated by the explosion. One exit is through the forward end of the case upon ejec- `tion or the projectile, and the other is rearwardly through. the tube :I4 and around the firing pin 2li. .This latter exit is closed, however, by the pressure of the explosion which functions to compress the tapered tube If! upon the pin I to provide a gas-tight seal.

After the cartridge has been discharged, it need not be cleaned for no gases have escaped from the interior of the case and the use of a frontal primer makes possible the use of materials which are no more harmful upon burning than the powder charge itself.

Accordingly, the reloading operation comprises only the filling of the case with the required amount of powder, the positioning of the primer Il upon its supporting shelfy I6, the seating of the projectile I8,jand the swedging of the outer end of the case at i9 to retain the projectile in place. It is impossible to force the projectile too far inwardly into the case to effect possible ignition of the powder charge by forcing the primer against the end of the pin for the internal shelf It is irn- Iii limits the travel ofthe projectile. portant in this construction that the tube I be so constructed that it `closely encloses the pin yet permits it to slide under the force received, as described. It is also important that it be so dimensioned that it is capable of being compressed sufhciently to seal around the pin to provide a gas-=tight joint which is released upon the release of the pressure which creates it. It is a characteristic of this embodiment of the invention, as it is of all the disclosed embodiments, that upon the partial diisipation of the initial pressure within the `case the compressing force upon the tube ifi is reduced sumciently as to permit the pin Sill to be forced outwardly to its preflred position. Movement of the pin in this the body of which is formed as a stem closely fitting within the tube I and having an internal diameter such that it closely encloses the pin 24. The outer or rearward end of sleeve 3| is formed as a flat head or flange 32 which lies against the flat base or wall of the recess I3 while the inner or forward end of the tube or sleeve is bifurcated to form angularly extending struts or braces33, the ends of which contactthe interior surface of the casing Il. The struts 33, which are spread into the position shown after the sleeve has been seated in the case, replace the shelf I6 of the rst embodiment and perform the function of positioning the primer II. The remainder' of the construction is identical with l that of the rst embodiment.

-iii

connection is limited by its contact with the face of the gun bolt as the back plate in the case of a revolver.

In the second embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 2, the internalshelf I6 of. the rst embodiment is eliminated and the tube Ill is made somewhat shorter in length. The firing pin 2li is mounted as before with vits head 26 in the recess i3 but there is interposed between the tube and the pin an extension tube-sleeve 3l.

In the discharge of the cartridge comprising the second embodiment of the invention the explosion is again contained entirely within the case. The high pressure therein eiects the cornpression of the somewhat shorter tube I4 onto the st em of extension sleeve Si, which is itself Vcompressed by the same pressure onto the pin to be noted that the struts 33 contact the primer I at its peripheral margin so that pressure exerted at that point cannot effect the ignition of the primer.

Referring now to Figure 3, a third preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which certain features of the first two vembodiments are combined. The internal shelf I6 of the first rembodiment is present, thereby making unnecessary the struts 33 of the second embodiment, but the extension sleeve 3| without struts is again provided about the firing pin 24. This third embodiment of the invention has the firing characteristics of the second embodiment and the reloading characteristics of the first embodiment by virtue of this combination of features.

Referring now to Figure 4, a fourth preferred .embodiment of the invention is illustrated and is seen to comprise a case I I identical to the case of the first embodiment with the exception that the tube i4 is made cylindrical and is of greatly reduced length. The ring pin2ll is again sliding'- `ly mounted directly in the tube I, as in the rst embodiment, but there is provided an extension tube or sleeve 4I, the enlarged cupped head of which, indicated by the reference character 42, encloses the end of the tube. The remainder of the construction is identical to the first embodiment.

In the explosion of the cartridge constructed in accordance with this fourth embodiment of the invention, the pressure generatedl by the ignition of the powder functions to compress the sleeve ll onto both the'pin 24 and the tube I4 to provide the necessary gas seal. In both embodiments 2 and 3 it was the tube III- which was compressed upon the sleeve rather than the sleeve upon the tube. Y

While the particular apparatus herein shown anddescribed in detail is-fu1ly capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to-beunderstoodthat it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cartridge, a case having a base formed with a central recess and an inwardly extending tube connecting said recess with the interior of the case, a sleeve positioned in said tube and spread at its inner end to form struts, a firing pin slidably positioned in said sleeve and provided with a head positioned in said recess, a projectile mounted in the end of said case, a primer clamped between said struts and said projectile in a position to be contacted by the inner end of said pin, and a charge of powder between said primer and said base.

2. The construction recited by claim 1 characterized in that under the pressure generated by the burning of said powder in said case said tube The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 81,058 Burton Aug. 11, 1868 624,146 Young May 2, 1899 676,000 Henneberg June 11, 1901 2,041,253 Leussler May 19, 1936 2,394,249 McGahey Feb. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 49,196 Germany Oct. 18, 1889 91,698 Germany May 6, 1897 194,343 Germany Jan. 18, 1908 

